I’ve said before someone should write a piece on the geographies, or perhaps better the geopolitics, of scam emails. This is the first one I’ve had that takes the Libyan conflict as its backdrop. From none other than ‘Mrs Gadaffi’.

Greetings,

I am Hajia Safia Farkash Gaddafi the wife of the late Libyan Leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. Following the recent rebellion in my country and the brutal death of my husband on the 20 Oct 2011, I have been thrown into a state of utter confusion, frustration and hopelessness. I have been subjected to psychological torture here in Algeria where we are currently taking refuge.

My son was killed by the rebels for an offense he did not commit. As a widow that is so traumatized, I have lost confidence in everybody both here in Algeria and back home in Libya where the people that pretended to be loyal to my husband have now abandoned us. You must have heard over the media reports and the internet on the recovery of various huge sums of money deposited by my husband in different firms abroad, some companies willingly gave up their secrets, disclosing our monetary transactions with them for robust reward from the new Libyan government. In fact the total sum discovered by the government so far is in the tune of US$11B (Eleven Billion US Dollars). And they are not relenting their effort in making me and my family poor for life. This is purely a political witch hunting to bring me and my family down. Yes, I am aware that my husband misappropriated Libyan funds, but let us not forget that there is no leader who hasn’t and despite the fact that he did so, he equally alleviated poverty and improved the living standard of over 80% Libyans. Including the imposition of agriculture and pipe-borne water supply all through the desert areas of Libya.

There is a certain amount of money kept securely by my late husband in Europe in my name and I am the only person that is privy to the location. I am writing to you out of desperation. I want you to assist me in moving this money out of its present location to anywhere you deem save for a percentage.

I will give you more information as to this regard as soon as you reply. I repose great confidence in you hence my approach to you through email. Due to the security network placed on the affairs of my family, email has been my only means of communication and I cannot afford to do anything on my own, so, I decided to contact someone who is not in any way connected to my family.

I will appreciate your timely and favorable response.

Best Regards

Hajia Safia Farkash Gaddafi